Meant to be
by X-MJ-X
Summary: Set after the final scene of A Tale of Two Hearts. What would have happened if Cassie and Sam had given in to their feelings and spent the night together?


**Hello. A few years ago, I wrote the story, The Good Witch's Guile for this fandom. That story unfortunately got lost along with many others owing to a blip in technology. **

**I've recently been watching season 5 and this story just wouldn't leave my mind. Set after the final scene of A Tale of Two Hearts, it explores what would have happened if Cassie and Sam had given in to their feelings and spent the night together. **

**The title is taken from a line in the song that played over their dance. **

**My author's note is the same as ever: I do not own Good Witch, its characters or plots. All recognisable dialogue will be clearly marked in italics.**

* * *

The gala had come to a natural end and so, reluctantly, they had broken apart and turned off the fairy lights.

Something had shifted between them during the dance. He'd read her his love letter and then his hand had settled on her waist and their hips were pressed close and there was so much emotion between them. Neither one of them had quite gotten over the disappointment of not having their wedding today but somehow this had made reparation.

They were tucked close, his tux jacket was slung over her shoulders and her arm was wrapped around his bicep, his hand covering hers. They were making their way back to Grey House and had decided to take the route along Main Street rather than through the secret passage this time.

As they passed the _Bell, Book_, Cassie had said that she felt bad for neglecting the shop over the course of the Halloween festival and Sam had reassured her that her magic had been felt in other ways over the last couple of days.

"I told you Cassie, you've worked your magic on me," he said as they stopped beneath a street lamp a short walk from the shop.

"What magic?" she said, her eyes glittering.

"You'll never tell me how you do it, will you?"

"Do what?"

"Well," he said, sliding his hand onto her cheek, "be what everyone needs."

She considered for a minute. "What do you need Sam?" she said, settling her hand on his shoulder.

He was quiet for a moment, unsure how to answer. He knew what he wanted to say. What he needed was never to be apart from her, for them to always be together. It seemed to have been an eternity, he was so disappointed that tonight was not going to be the first night of their new lives together after all.

He let the hand resting on her waist brush against her. "You, Cassie."

"I'm right here, Sam," she said, her mouth a breath away from his lips.

"So you are..." he said, leaning a fraction closer and pressing his lips against hers.

It was a gentle kiss and it was both exactly right and yet not enough. That always seemed to be the way, it was maddening.

"Let's go home," she mumbled a moment later and when she pulled away, he could see the same conflicted frustration on her face.

* * *

All too soon, they were standing on the sloping driveway of Grey House, their hands linked, their bodies close and they were both thinking about the fact that tonight would have been their wedding night.

"Thank you again Sam," she said. "For everything you've done, for making this Halloween so special."

"You're welcome, Cassie," he said. He knew he'd have to say goodnight in a moment or two and he didn't want to. It had been getting more difficult to leave her, even just to go next door, the closer they had been getting.

She shrugged off his jacket, folding it over her arm. It was a tactic, the extension of the moment just a fraction more. This should have been their wedding night, they shouldn't be parting, they shouldn't be parting ever again.

"Well," he said as she reluctantly handed him the jacket and he reached in to the pocket, retrieving her letter, handing it to her. "I'd better say goodnight then," he said. It was the last thing he really wanted to do.

"I suppose we'd better," she said, glancing up at Grey House. In the window of the front most guest room she saw Karen and Edward silhouetted, their heads close. She smiled, but was unable to stop herself from feeling a pang of jealousy.

_Be brave _she thought to herself, but somehow as brave as she was able to encourage others to be, she always struggled to be the same way for herself.

She slid her hands to the front of his shirt and leant in close to him, her lips pressing against his. "Night Sam," she said, heavy hearted.

"Night..."

Her phone buzzed in her clutch, interrupting him. "Sorry..."

She looked down at her phone.

_Hey Mom. Nick and I are having a scary movie marathon. I'll stay over in the guest room tonight. Love you x_

That was strange. Grace's message had seemed to come right at the moment she'd needed it to, almost as if her daughter had known that what she needed was the chance to be alone with Sam tonight...

"Everything ok?" Sam asked, seeing the strange look on Cassie's face.

"Mm hmm."

"Are you sure?" he said, unconvinced.

She pulled back a little, her fingers sliding around his shoulders. "Stay," she murmured.

"Cassie..." had she really just said that? Surely not. They'd been taking things slowly, waiting. Sure, tonight was supposed to have been the end of that wait, but he hadn't expected her to be the one to mention it.

"Please, Sam, stay with me tonight," she sounded almost desperate.

"Are you sure?" he said.

She slid her hand to his waist, touching him more intimately than she had so far dared to. "Sam, tonight is supposed to be our wedding night. We were supposed to be returning to Grey House as man and wife. You've been very patient, we both have, but I'm tired of waiting. I want to be with you. I really do and I think you want to be with me too."

He ran the pads of his thumbs over her cheekbones. "I do, Cassie," he said, pressing his mouth to hers again.

It was a kiss much like those they had shared before, loving and tender but ultimately chaste. The difference this time was that when he pressed his body to hers, she felt him, really felt him: his need and the desire between them rebounding body to body. She pulled back with a little gasp, sliding her hand in to his. "Then, let me welcome you to Grey House. Properly."

* * *

As they stepped through the door of the old, mysterious house, he felt certain that something in the atmosphere had changed. In the space of the seconds it had taken them to cross the threshold, he no longer felt like an invited guest, but rather another part of this house's extended family tree. There was a warmth in the air that he felt sure he hadn't noticed before. Of course, that could very well have more to do with the slowly building heat of his feelings for his beautiful fiancée.

She'd let go of his hand and for a moment he was unsure what to do next. He didn't want to appear presumptuous by immediately heading upstairs, but he didn't want to look as though he was floundering either. She was right, as she usually was, he _did_ want her, in more ways than even she could know and he knew how he wanted to spend tonight. He didn't however, want to rush this.

"Come through," she said, leading him towards the kitchen. He should have known. The heart of Grey House was the kitchen.

She placed his jacket on one of the stools and went to the refrigerator, opening the wine cooler and retrieving a bottle of champagne. "Could you get out some flutes please?" she said, pointing him in the direction of the right cupboard.

He did as she asked wordlessly, listening to the pop as she undid the bottle. "You were expecting a special occasion?" he said as he placed the glasses on the island.

"Well, I've had this in for a while, I don't know if you've forgotten, but today was supposed to have been our wedding..."

He moved closer to her, reaching across the island and threading his fingers with the hand that rested there.

"I didn't forget," he said and at his words, his eyes darkened and she felt white heat shoot through her.

"I hadn't planned to get this out, owing to you know, the postponement, but I guess I..."

"Just has a feeling that tonight would be a special occasion?" he teased.

She blushed a little, her beautiful dark eyes sparkling. "I..."

"Wait, do my ears deceive me or does Cassie Nightingale not know what to say right now?"

"It's been known to happen," she said, taking a sip from her glass and feeling the bubbles tickle her nose.

"...and what can have caused this affliction?" he said, sipping from his own glass and looking at her intensely.

Her lips quirked up and she took another slow sip before she answered, feeling the richness of the champagne mingling with the bubbly wine cocktail she'd already had earlier. Of course, the headiness of being here with him was not helping her focus too much either.

"Oh, I don't know, it could have something to do with the handsome doctor standing in my kitchen."

"Oh, really?"

She took another sip, realising her glass was empty and therefore that she was lacking any further distraction. She nodded. He smiled: it was the kind of smile that immediately put her at ease.

"Cassie..." he muttered, striding around the island and gripping her waist, pulling her flush to him and dropping his mouth to her jaw.

He peppered kisses there, feeling her relax into his embrace before she tilted her head down and let their mouths meet. There was nothing polite about this kiss. He was surprised by the urgency of her nips to his lips and caught so off guard that he felt his mouth give way to her tongue almost immediately.

* * *

Their tongues seemed to have been craving each other and they fell into delicious rhythm instantly, stroking and caressing in a maddeningly intimate way. Her hand had drifted to his shoulder blade and she dug her nails into him, holding him fast to her as she began to see stars.

When they finally broke apart, their chests were heaving and, when she chanced a glance at his face through her eyelashes, she saw that he was looking at her in wonder.

She had certainly taken him by surprise. Since knowing her, he'd gotten used to that, to discovering new things about her, but this was something that sent his heart racing. Cassie had the overwhelming capacity to be tender but he hadn't known she could be so overtly passionate and God, could she kiss...

She settled her hand on his shoulder and smiled as she leaned into him again, bestowing him with a gentler kiss this time. He was losing his mind. He wanted her so much, he had since the second he had known her and now he knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt that she wanted him too.

"Where's Grace?" he asked inanely.

"She's at your house, she and Nick are watching scary movies. That was what the text was."

"Oh, so it's just you and me?"

"Mm hmm," she mumbled, half wishing that he would stop doing that thing he was doing with his hand on her waist. It was making it incredibly difficult to concentrate. She kissed him again and it was full of promise.

"...and Abigail?" he knew that Cassie's cousin was still living at Grey House whilst he and Cassie waited to marry. She would then move into his place and they'd all have their space.

"Trust me Sam, we won't be disturbed," she said, thinking about the position of Abigail's room. At her own request, her cousin had chosen to take a room the floor below the private quarters and at the other end of the corridor. She'd had many passing paramours and although she had tried not to judge, Cassie had been grateful for the distance. Never more so than now.

"So you're telling me I have you all to myself, to have and to hold?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you Sam," she said.

"Say it again," he said.

"I'm yours, Sam Radford," she said, slipping her hand into his again and leading him towards the stairs.

* * *

It was as they passed his new office on the way to the last door on the corridor, her private rooms, _their_ private rooms, that she began to feel the bubbling of nervousness pulling at her. It had been a long time since she'd been intimate with anyone and she'd been harbouring this anxiety since they'd begun seeing each other. She knew however, that she had nothing to fear from this. It was just that she'd always found it difficult to let people in. She'd been hurt as a child, moved around a lot and had never really felt like she'd had roots. Intimacy had as a result, always been difficult and she had taken few lovers in her life. Before Jake there had been three of four men she'd been close to in that way and then once she'd met Jake, there'd been only him, for so many years. Feeling the way she'd felt about Sam had crept up on her and she'd felt the ripple of fear at his expectation from the moment they'd decided to see where this was going.

He had always been the perfect gentleman however, and he'd been understanding, but she knew it couldn't have been easy. It certainly hadn't been for her. Over the past couple of weeks, she'd felt the intensity of her own desire for him building and then tonight, she just hadn't been able to be alone anymore.

She could feel him now, pressed behind her, his hip against her lower back and his breath hot on the back of her neck. As she opened the door, she felt his lips press against the skin of her neck and her hand shook with want as she entered the room.

* * *

The sitting room was warm and inviting as ever, the lamps turned on in preparation for her return, her tea tray waiting on the table in front of the little couch she loved so much. She watched him take it in, but then grasped his hand again and led him towards the door in the corner.

The room was as she had left it: neat and almost expectant. The amethyst coloured comforter was turned down in wait for her and the lamp on the nightstand let off a warm glow which made her suddenly aware of how big the bed was.

"So..." she said. "This is it," she waved her hands around.

"Beautiful," he said, watching her backlit by the soft lamp light, in her own space. "Have I told you that already?" he said. There was little point in pretending that he was talking about the room.

"Hmm... I think you used the word 'gorgeous'," she said, her whole body poised as she watched him circle her, felt him press against her back again.

He pushed her hair away from her neck, sweeping it over her shoulder. "Well, you are," he said.

The kisses he placed along her jaw and down her neck were like tiny sparks, igniting a fire that seemed to travel quickly to her stomach. She reached behind her, desperate to hold him and he seemed to take this as encouragement. One hand was splayed across her midriff, whilst the other began to roam. He sculpted his palm against the swell of her hip, the skin connecting with softly draping silk.

* * *

Only Cassie Nightingale, he thought to himself, could make the split in the dress she wore look both infinitely demure and spectacularly tempting. He heard her sigh, a pleasured sound as his fingers began to skim at the opening of her dress, then he felt her body tense just at the moment he was about to venture beneath the silk. Her hand reached down, following the path of his and finally settled over his. "Sam..."

The way she said his name, it did things to him. It was almost a breathless sound, it was pain and anguish and lust and love all bound up in one. He waited a moment before daring to let his fingers brush against the middle of her thigh and he felt her jolt, felt her hand close more tightly around his. He halted, squeezing the arm that was around her waist tighter, in an effort to reassure her.

She turned her head, letting her lips scuff the side of his face. He took that as permission to continue and slowly let his hand glide up from her waist. When he got to her rib cage, he felt her tense again.

"Sam I..."

There was something in her tone which made him stop right away, his hands falling away as he waited for her to say more.

She turned around slowly, her cheeks flushed in the lamp light and she could barely meet his eye. Over the past few weeks especially, she'd been imagining what his touch might be like, but the reality of it was something which transcended even her capacity for suspension of disbelief.

"We don't have to do anything Cassie, not if you've changed your mind." His words sounded conciliatory, but his face looked crestfallen.

"I don't want to stop Sam," she said, moving closer to him and tugging at his lips. "It's just... well, I should tell you, it's been a while for me..."

He laughed softly and at their proximity, she could felt that laugh roll through her. Her cheeks burned. "You think it hasn't been for me?"

"I...I guess I never thought about it, but you should know, as much as I don't want him to come between us, Jake was it for me, for a lot of years."

He took her hands in his, drawing them to his mouth before kissing her knuckles. "I understand that Cassie."

"You do?"

"I do. Look, I can't pretend I've been a Saint, but since I came to Middleton, from the second I met you, there hasn't been anyone else for me. It's a powerful thing, falling in love.

"I seem to recall a queue round the block at your practice. Even the good Lady Mayor was enamoured."

"I only cared if you were."

"Oh, it might have taken me a while to admit it, but I was. I _am_," she said, her hands sliding up his shirtfront and loosening his tie.

* * *

She worked the knot free slowly and let the tie hang at his neck, her fingers moving to the top button of his shirt. She noticed they were shaking slightly, but she realised that it was excitement, rather than nervousness that was winning out. She tugged the first button loose, moving on to a second, leaning in close to him and letting her lips brush against the skin of his throat and she heard him inhale a sharp breath. With one arm slung loosely on his waist, she let the other hand pop another button. She'd made to it three, a V now open in his shirt, leaving his lightly tanned chest partially on view.

Her eyes flashed and she was just about to continue undoing buttons when she felt him grip her and then suddenly her back was against the wall behind her and his body was pressed against hers, his leg finding its way between her knees. This in turn forced her to widen her stance to accommodate him.

He took advantage of this, encouraging her leg up to his waist and wrapping her knee around him. The heavy silk of her skirt gave in and tumbled back towards her lower abdomen, leaving the length of her left thigh exposed to him. They both dropped their gaze, seemingly coming to the realisation of the escalation of things here at the same time. She gripped his shoulder as he ran a work-roughened hand from her knee up towards the crease at the top of her thigh, her eyes drifted shut.

"Cassie," he muttered, his mouth buried in the dip between her neck and shoulder. His hand moved up her body again, travelling the path of her waist, over her rib cage and higher still. She drew in a breath, but this time as his hand sculpted across the fine lace of her bodice she did not tense or move away from him, but rather seemed to push her body further into his hand.

Emboldened, he stroked his fingers along the underside of her left breast, appreciating the way the lace clung to her. When he heard her say his name in that particular way she had, he ventured higher his fingertips greeted by the hard nub of her.

"Sam..." she murmured, shifting so that her leg jostled at his waist, pushing their pelvises together and making his desire for her never clearer. "Oh!" she felt his hand back at her knee, supporting her as she re-balanced. She opened her eyes then, meeting his. They were darker than she'd ever seen them, mischievous even. "I love you," she said.

He slid his free hand into her hair and she turned her head, letting her lips brush his open hand. "I love you too," he said and for a moment, neither of them moved.

* * *

She reached between them, her hands sliding into the opening of his shirt and feeling the light dusting of hair that adorned his chest. She let her fingers catch in it, almost in time to the slight tugging of their lips as they kissed again. After a while, she withdrew her hands, going for the next button on his shirt, but as she did, her knee flexed as she overbalanced and her shoe fell to the floor with a thud that made them break apart, laughing self-consciously. He lowered her leg to the floor, but without her shoe, she was really off balance so she reached down and pulled it off. He used the opportunity to remove his own and then they were both bare foot.

The moment he moved closer, she tugged his shirt from his pants, opened the remaining buttons and rid him of it. He let her look at him, her eyes taking in his toned abdomen, his strong arms. Her hands ran along his shoulders, down those arms, before wrapping around his back and bringing him close enough for kissing.

When they broke apart, something in the air had changed and suddenly he knew exactly what wanted. He took her by the hand and led her towards the foot of the bed. He guided her into sitting and knelt before her, staring deeply into her eyes.

* * *

He was in fascination with her legs. They were so deliciously on display in that dress and he just wanted to shower them with attention. He took her foot in his hand and pressed his lips to her inner ankle, moving up slowly towards the inside of her calf.

Her hands were planted on the bed and, when he reached that sensitive spot just inside her knee, she gripped the comforter. She was looking down at him, watching his sandy hair bob as he laved her with attention and her hand slipped into the short hairs at the back of his neck.

He paused at the feeling, looked up at her. His eyes were smiling. "Lie back, Cassie," he said and his voice was so gravelly that they both felt a bolt of desire run through them.

"Sam...I..."

"Lie back," he said again and there was something so tender in his voice that she did as he said, shifting back a little and watching as he knelt up a little more, pushing her knees apart gently.

"I have wanted to tell you how sexy I think your legs are since the night you wore that cocktail dress to dance with Ryan instead of me," he pushed a kiss to her knee, his hand gathering the silk.

"Did you just say..."

"Sexy? Yes. You are Cassie. Incredibly..." he continued gathering the silk, watching her take this in.

"I think you are too Sam."

"Think I'm what Cassie?"

"You just want me to say the word don't you?"

"What word?" he leant forward, pressing hot lips to her thigh. She jolted.

"Sexy," she said, trying the word out. It wasn't one she really had occasion to use but she realised it was how she viewed him. She'd never really spoken this way with Jake. Sure, he'd told her she was beautiful and she'd told him he was handsome but there was something more visceral about her relationship with Sam, something more carnal, more raw. She'd never been able to define it before, but now she realised she could. It was something about him that transcended handsomeness, there was an undeniable sexiness about him. It was true. "You are, Sam."

He smiled, pushing the last of the silk up her body until it bunched at her waist. She wordlessly lifted her hips a little so that he could make sure it laid comfortably for her. "Well, that wasn't so hard was it?" he said, losing his train of thought briefly as he took in the view of her in her black lace panties.

"Sam... what're you..." her words died off as his fingers traced the crease at the side of her thigh.

He didn't answer with words, instead letting his fingers continue their journey. He knew that he didn't want to take those panties off quite yet, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't enjoy seeing her like this. His fingers toyed at the edges, testing her reaction. He could see that her eyes had fluttered shut, her hands balling into fists. With confidence that this was what she wanted, he let his finger slide beneath her panties, teasing the soft curls he met there. She felt fantastic. She was warm and wet and perfect and her legs opened a little wider. She shifted against his hand: trying to increase the friction, he realised. He obliged, slipping his finger into her and hearing her low gasp in return. He waited for her to adjust and then slowly added another finger.

* * *

It felt wonderful. To be touched by this man after all of the waiting was wonderful. He was gentle and patient and she loved him for it. He was moving his fingers slowly and that was so tantalising. She let her eyes open and they locked with his. There was an earnestness on his face and a half smile at his mouth that made her fall in love with him all over again.

She could feel the heat beginning to build for her. It had been so long and he felt so good that she knew she couldn't last. Then she shifted and her hips tilted back and he slipped further inside of her and she was crying out his name at a much higher volume than she intended.

He laughed then and the ripple of it reverberated across her thighs and her stomach was twisting with desire. Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, she felt him push her panties over to the left, slightly exposing her. Her instant reaction was to clamp her legs shut, but she wanted this and she knew he loved her and so she resisted the instinct and let him look at her. She looked towards him again and she realised that the only place he was looking was right at her eyes and her heart swelled at the thought. She saw him swallow, taking a moment to gather himself and then his hand was twisting, his thumb sliding along her folds and she knew then that he was about to help her reach heaven.

His thumb was almost entirely rotated now as he cupped her and slowly he reached that most sensitive part of her, using the pad of his thumb to press against her. It was like a shock wave through her entire body, an electrical current that shot right to her core. There was heat and passion and love running straight to the very centre of her being and she was sure as she arched her back, her hands gripping the comforter that a tear rolled down her face. She was crying his name in reckless abandon and she could feel him holding her hip, remaining connected to her even as he continued to pleasure her. One more stroke and she was...there was only this, there was only being with him like this...

* * *

It took her a while to come down. He was unsurprised. There had been so much tension between them he had felt like a coiled spring at times, having to douse himself in a cold shower before work or afterward, just from sharing kisses. His whole body was alive and could barely contain how much he wanted her. He waited for her eyes to open and watched as she pulled herself slowly into sitting. She shuffled to the end of the bed and he joined her, the pressure on his knees almost too much.

She turned to him, her torso pressing against his chest and she kissed him wordlessly. When they were about to lose themselves to the passion, she coaxed him to his feet, her hands running down his waist before moving to the fastening of his pants, loosening the button and zipper. He held her all the while, kissing her neck, her jaw his hands searching her back, scrabbling for her zipper. His pants hit the floor in a shiver and they both held their breath for a moment, their mouths finding one another again before she slid her hand between their bodies and let it brush him.

It was not the first time she'd been aware of his desire tonight, but even so she was taken slightly aback that he was so ready. Things had gotten hot and heavy pretty quickly between them and she knew they'd both been waiting a long time but it still felt good to be so wanted.

She was about to venture below his waistband when she felt his hands on her, turning her around so her back faced him. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, seeming to know what he wanted and she felt his fingers immediately go to her zipper.

It was a liberating feeling as the dress slackened. She reached for the straps and began to take them down as he kissed his way across her shoulders. The dress rumpled in heavy folds as it made its way to the floor and she stepped out of it gracefully. She didn't like to see it lying there on the floor, but she was too arrested by the way that he was looking at her to care about it too much.

"Wow... Cassie..."

* * *

She was absolutely stunning, which was really no surprise. He'd never met someone like her before, he was completely enchanted by her: hers was the kind of beauty that was inside and out. What did surprise him was the sheer peekaboo nature of her black lace underwear. It was a little more risqué than he'd anticipated, in the very best way.

She leant in close to him, her mouth inches from his. "Close your mouth, Doctor Radford..."

"Cassie... you're... something else..." He let his eyes rake over her, loving that she was allowing him to look.

She kissed him, her tongue slipping into his mouth as she felt his hand on her waist again. This was the thing that had made her most nervous, getting to the stage where there was almost nothing between them, but she felt safe in his arms and utterly worshipped and her fears were giving way to the sheer pleasure of feeling his hands on her as they kissed.

His fingers were trailing up her back, sculpting over her shoulder and he moved the strap on her right arm down. She kept her body pressed against his as he slipped that same hand back around her back and undid her bra clasp. In seconds, he was working her bra away from her body and she had to take a slight step back as he pulled it free.

Admirably, Sam kept his eyes on hers until her smile encouraged him and he let his gaze lower.

"Gorgeous," he said for the second time that night and she felt the earnestness of it.

Slowly he allowed his hands to seek her out and he settled them on her breasts, listening to her low moan. When they had both gotten used to the feeling, he let his fingers travel to her nipples, stroking them gently. She urged her body into his hands, gripping him around the back as she began to walk them backward.

* * *

God, she was so ready and so was he. Why should they wait any longer? She felt him take over, guiding them back towards the bed and she lowered herself blindly onto it when her knees hit the end. Before he followed her down, he took off his boxers and sprang free and she couldn't help the gasp which escaped her. She shimmied up the bed as he followed her, slipping her own panties off and watching the moment when his eyes darkened a shade. His eyes seemed to swallow her whole and she knew that this had been the right thing, that she needed him now.

She opened her legs as he settled between them, his thighs surrounding hers, his weight on his forearms.

"Cassie... I don't think..." he was struggling to hold it together.

"It's alright Sam," she soothed, burying her hands in his hair. "Neither can I," she said and that was all he needed. With one thrust they were finally joined.

Sam Radford made love to her in a way that made her feel so many more emotions than she had imagined she would. He was tender and loving, each stroke and caress gentle, but he was also passionate and intense and with every minor motion, he seemed to go deeper, physically and emotionally than she had dared to hope he could.

Their hips seemed to raise and roll in tandem and they could not get enough of each other's lips. Hands slid and teased and explored and the passion built quickly. In minutes they could both feel it reaching breaking point and they held onto each other as they crashed: once, twice, again.

Cassie felt like she was losing her mind as he moved his hips just so and she saw the stars of the sweetest release. "I love you," she murmured against his shoulder, barely able to comprehend anything but the way that he spilled into her.

* * *

Once could never have been enough. She was too beautiful, too perfect and he wanted her so much. Into the small hours of the morning as the sky turned a darker shade of black and then began to lighten again and their bodies began to cool, he let himself explore her body: worshipping her breasts and proving that he wasn't only good with his hands as his mouth plundered her intimacy.

She too, had explored him, sliding her hands down his abdominals, gripping his desire in her hand and learning the strokes which made him call her name like sweet music. Of course they'd made love again. Two, three times and each time seemed to mean more.

* * *

Finally spent, Cassie reached across and got the light as he pulled the comforter up over them. She was pressed tightly against his torso and he guided her onto his chest. She stroked her hand against his waist as she lay there, listening to his heartbeat beneath her ear.

"Cassie, I meant what I said earlier."

"Which thing?"

"You're amazing."

She kissed his chest, letting her hair tickle him. "So are you...and I don't by the way."

"Don't what?"

"Have any regrets about this happening tonight."

_How did she do that_? It was exactly what he had been wondering. Selfishly, he was feeling no regrets but he knew that Cassie had had her reasons for waiting.

"Neither do I," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"In fact, it makes me look forward our wedding night even more."

"Oh it does huh?"

"Mm hmm," she said, her lips brushing his.

"We'd better get to rearranging then."

"I think we'd better."

He stroked her arm, gathering her close. "I love you."

"I love you too Sam," she said, slowly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

She was up with the larks the next morning and, as she woke cocooned in his arms, she hated to leave Sam alone in bed, but she had guests to feed.

She brought the kitchen to life, deciding a batch of her lemon-thyme muffins were just the thing for breakfast today and mixing the batter.

As she popped them into the oven, she couldn't help but notice how good she felt. She felt awakened and alive and her body was imprinted with the memory of his.

She set the table, knowing that her guests would soon be waking and put on a pot of coffee, the real stuff, not her tastes-like-coffee-but-doesn't-really-tea. She was just pulling the muffins out of the oven when she realised she was not alone.

"Morning cousin." Cassie turned to see Abigail standing behind her, eyes mischievous.

"Morning Abigail."

"Hey, was someone shouting last night?"

"Shouting? No, I, didn't hear anything." Cassie busied herself with putting the muffins in a basket. Her cheeks flamed.

"I could have sworn I heard someone call your name a couple times. Do you think maybe it was William, calling you to help him find Patience?" Abigail was certainly not adverse to believing in a good ghost story.

"William and Patience didn't need anybody's help finding each other. They were meant to be."

"Huh, it's funny..." she paused mid-sentence, suddenly aware of another presence in the room. Of the non-spectral kind.

"Good morning Sam," she said, as intuitively as her cousin would have.

When she turned around Sam Radford was standing there in his shirt and pants, his feet bare. It was then that she spotted his tux jacket on the stool.

"Oh..." she looked between Sam and Cassie, who had turned around and was fidgeting, her cheeks red. "Oh..." the realisation dawned on her. She watched Cassie squirm a little more.

"Well it was about time," she said, grabbing a muffin from the basket as she headed for the door. Before she went out, she leant in close to her cousin and whispered,"good for you. Details later..." and then Cassie and Sam were alone again.

* * *

Cassie laughed a little awkwardly, watching as he came closer. "Well that was..."

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight to his body and his lips fell on to hers. They kissed, a long, slow kiss.

"Hello beautiful," he said when they broke apart.

"Hello yourself," she said, a little breathless.

He considered her for a moment, as if she was an object of awe and then squeezed his arms around her a little more tightly. "You know, this feels amazing. Waking up here, with you."

"It does, doesn't it?"

"Is that coffee I smell?"

"Mm hmm. Freshly brewed."

"You never have coffee here..."

"What can I say, I guess I just had a feeling I would need some this morning..."

"Like it was meant to be?"

"Yes," Cassie said, kissing him again. "Exactly like that."

Seconds later they heard their guests on the stairs and broke apart reluctantly as they prepared to start another day in the magical town of Middleton...

* * *

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Do let me know. **


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